Adjustable scaffold foot



Sept. 29, 1964 Filed April 30, 1965 G. E. SEGO ETAL 3,150,890

ADJUSTABLE SCAFF'OLD FOOT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GEORGE E. SE60 BEN R. MILLERATTORNEY P 1954 G. E- SEGO ETAL 3,150,890

ADJUSTABLE SCAFFOLD FOOT Filed April 30, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENTORSGEORGE E. SE60 BEN R. MILLER BY aw fizwww/ ATTORNEY United States Patent3,150,890 ADHUSTABLE SCAFFGL'D FOOT George E. Sega, Bryant, Ark, and BenR. Miller, R0. Box 7094, Little Rock, Ark. Filed Apr. 3-9, 1963, Ser.No. 276,741 3 Claims. (Cl. 281-262} This invention relates toscaffolding and staging of the type normally employed in theconstruction, maintenance or repair of building structures or the like,and more particularly is concerned with a universally adjustable footmember for use in combination with such a scaffold Heretoforescaffoldings and stagings of the type which are normally assembled anderected on the building site have been equipped with a variety ofirregular surface engaging support members. However, such devices havefailed in many instances to serve the intended purpose of becomingcompatible with irregular roof grades, gullies, valleys, gable ends andground surfaces for providing an adequate and safe support for thescaffolding of sufficient strength to support the workmen and theirequipment because they had limited adjustability.

It is an object of this invention to accommodate a scaftold on anysurface capable of supporting the same by means of a universallyadjustable foot or scalfold supporting member.

It is another object of this invention to provide a universal scaffoldsupporting element which may be used to support a scaffold from theground or may be employed with equal facility to support a scafiold froma part of the building structure itself, eliminating the need for groundsupport.

It is another object of this invention to support a scaffold on a steelgirder or the like.

The invention further contemplates a scaffold support which isrelatively simple in its construction, reliable in its operation andrelatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be recognized from a consideration ofthe following specification taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which like numerals represent like parts throughout theseveral views. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention asattached to a fragmentary portion of a scaffold;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view partly in section of the device inFIG. 1 with the fragmentary section of the scaffold disposed directlyabove the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 2rotated 90 degrees;

FIG. 4 is a view of the invention employed as a flat roof engagingsupport in combination with a fragmentary section of a scaffold;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the invention as applied to apeaked roof and is shown in combination with a portion of a scaffold;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention which isadapted for mounting on a steel beam or girder;

FIG. 7 is a view in side elevation depicting the mounting arrangementemployed for the embodiment shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the invention applied to the ceiling ofa room through a window opening; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an adjustable window sill clamp.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the universally adjustable supportelement of this invention, generally shown at 10, includes a base plate12 which for illustrative purposes is shown as substantially square inconfiguration. It is to be understood that base plates of other shapes3,15%,8959 Patented Sept. 29, l9fi4 ice could be employed as desired. Aninternally threaded coupling 14 which for purposes of illustration hasbeen shown in the form of a nut is mounted to the base plate 12 by meansof welding as at 16 or by any other suitable means.

A stud includes an externally threaded shank portion 18 and aninternally threaded eyelet 2%). The shank portion 18 of the stud isrotatably received within the threaded portion of the coupling 14interconnecting a sulficient number of the cooperating threads of thestud and coupling to preclude unintended disassociation between the studand base, yet providing for a rotatable connection of 360 degreestherebetween. A connector 22 in the form of a substantially hook-shapedelement is provided with a threaded end portion 24 adapted to bereceived in a nut 26 or other internally threaded means attached to theend of a scaffold leg or yoke 23. The connector is similarly threaded onits opposite elongated end 39 for cooperating with the internallythreaded eyelet portion 29 of the stud.

The base member 12 may be provided with a plurality of orifices ofsuitable size and disposition to receive fastening means such as nails,screws, bolts or the like to secure the base member to the bui ding partwith which it is associated when it is desired to do so. From aconsideration of the drawings thus far described, it will be seen thatthe base plate together with the coupling and eyelet may be rotatedrelative to the elongated end 30 of the connector throughout an arc of afull 360 degrees thus enabling complete universal adjustment of thesupport to accommodate any surface upon which it is placed. Separateadjustment of the base member may be accomplished by rotating the basewith its coupling portion and stud member and simultaneously rotatingthe connector element 22 relative to the nut 26 mounted in the scaffoldpart 28. Rotation of the aforementioned elements as a unit will resultin an effective elongation or shortening of the scaffold element 28 asthe threaded portion of the connector 22 is threaded into or out fromthe nut 26 in the scaffold part 211%. A similar elongation or shorteningof the scaffold leg for fine adjustment may be accomplished by rotatingthe stud 13 into or out from the coupling 14.

If desired, the threaded portion 24 of the connector 22 could beprovided with threads of either a coarser or a finer pitch than those onthe stud and coupling members, thus providing for both coarse and fineadjustment between the several elements, whereby even minute differencesin the surface on which the scaffold is mounted could be accommodated.

Referring now to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the scaffold with whichthis invention is depicted as mounted adjacent the side of a buildingshown diagrammatically at 32 which includes a parapet wall 34 over whichthe yoke portion 36 of the scaffold is mounted. It will be understoodthat should it be desired to do so, the base member 12 of the inventionit) could be mounted against the backside 38 of the parapet wall. Thisarrangement could be employed when it is desired to avoid scaffoldcontact with the root surface, thereby avoiding damage to the same. Anadjustable brace element 4t is provided with a foot portion 42, which,if desired, could be in the form of another universally adjustablesupport element 1d. The brace ill is adjustably connected to thevertical beam 44 of the scaffold and may be moved in such a manner thatit may support the vertical beam 44 in a position substantially parallelto the face of the building wall. It is contemplated that two or moresuch scaffold arrangements would be disposed on the building structureand suitable planking would be disposed on the upper surfaces of thesupport it) upon which workmen and materials would be supported in aworking position relative to the building face.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is substantially the same as that shownin FIG. 4 except that the building roof generally depicted at 46 is ofthe peaked type, and the phantom lines disclose a variety of angles or"the same to demonstrate the versatility of application of thisinvention. It is to be understood that those angles which are shown inphantom are not to be considered as representing the extremes withinwhich this invention is capable of employment, but rather are merelysuggestive of various roof angles. A material or workmen supportingplatform shown generally at 43 is disposed on the vertically andhorizontally adjustable brace member 5% which is similar to that shownin FIG. 4.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the base member 12Aof the adjustable support it) is provided with a hook-shaped portion 13which for purposes of illustration is shown in the form of a portion ofthe base folded back upon itself to define a beam engaging hook portion.As shown in FIG. 7, this embodiment finds primary, but by no meansexclusive, use when the scaffold is utilized in connection withbuildings employing a steel girder skeleton. In such an application thebase member 12 shown in FEGS. l, 2 and 3 is removed from the threadedstud 13 and a new base member 12A complete with the aforementionedhooked portion is substituted therefor. it is to be noted that such anarrangement eliminates the necessity for adjusting clamps, binding postsor screws; and when arranged in the manner shown in the drawings with asupport brace 40, similar to those previously discussed with regard toFIGS. 4 and 5, provides for a completely suspended scaf fold which issimple in construction yet adequate for supporting men or materialsemployed in the erection, repair or maintenance of the structure.

In the employment of the invention shown in FIG. 8, the versatility ofthe adjustable support is further demonstrated, for in that applicationit will be noted that the free end of the yoke member has been placedwithin a window or wall opening in the structure, and the base plate 12is disposed against the ceiling or roof portion, while a secondadjustable support member St) is disposed in supporting relation withthe window sill or other framework disposed around the opening,utilizing an adjustable sill engaging clamp member 52 as shown in PEG.9.

Thus, it may be seen that the universal support element of thisinvention is capable of engaging substantially any desired surface tothe exclusion of any other surfaces; and when disposed in the desiredposition will render 4 the scafford safely and rigidly supported on thestructure to which it is mounted.

It is within the contemplation of this invention that the adjustablefoot member could be employed to engage ground surfaces with equalfacility and efiiciency as those hereinbefore described. The applicantshave chosen the illustrated applications without intending to excludethose applications not depicted, and thus it is to be understood thatmany variations in the form and application of this invention may bemade within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a universally adjustable support, the combination comprising abase plate, an internally threaded coupling element fixed to said baseplate and extending upwardly therefrom, a stud including an externallythreaded shank portion and an internally threaded eyelet portiontransverse to said shank, the threads on said externally threaded shankportion being compatible with the internal threads of said couplingwhereby said coupling and said shank may be rotatably coupled, aconnector element including a substantially hook-shaped body portion andterminating in an externally threaded end portion compatible with anddisposed within the internally threaded eyelet portion of said stud,said connector terminating on its opposite end in an elongatedexternally threaded shank portion connectible to one end of a scaffoldmember whereby said support element is disposed between said scaffoldelement and the structure to which said scaifold is attached.

2. The structure defined by claim 1 in which said eyelet portion of saidstud is rotatably connected to said connector element for rotationthrough an arc of 360 degrees.

3. The structure defined by claim 1 wherein said base plate includes aportion folded back toward itself to define a hook thereon forengagement with a selected surface or" a steel girder.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. IN A UNIVERSALLY ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING ABASE PLATE, AN INTERNALLY THREADED COUPLING ELEMENT FIXED TO SAID BASEPLATE AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, A STUD INCLUDING AN EXTERNALLYTHREADED SHANK PORTION AND AN INTERNALLY THREADED EYELET PORTIONTRANSVERSE TO SAID SHANK, THE THREADS ON SAID EXTERNALLY THREADED SHANKPORTION BEING COMPATIBLE WITH THE INTERNAL THREADS OF SAID COUPLINGWHEREBY SAID COUPLING AND SAID SHANK MAY BE ROTATATABLY COUPLED, ACONNECTOR ELEMENT INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY HOOK-SHAPED BODY PORTION ANDTERMINATING IN AN EXTERNALLY THREADED END PORTION COMPATIBLE WITH ANDDISPOSED WITHIN THE INTERNALLY THREADED EYELET PORTION OF SAID STUD,SAID CONNECTOR TERMINATING ON ITS OPPOSITE END IN AN ELONGATEDEXTERNALLY THREADED SHANK PORTION CONNECTIBLE TO ONE END OF A SCAFFOLDMEMBER WHEREBY SAID SUPPORT ELEMENT IS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SCAFFOLDELEMENT AND THE STRUCTURE TO WHICH SAID SCAFFOLD IS ATTACHED.